Prisco's Top 100 - Four Cowboys Make List

[Nation]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/...oaded-with-quarterbacks-rodgers-is-clear-no-1

10. DeMarcus Ware, OLB-DE, Dallas Cowboys: His sack numbers were down to 11½, but he is still the premier outside 3-4 rusher in the league. Now he has to move to a down end, which shouldn't be a problem.

46. Jason Witten, TE, Dallas Cowboys: He led all tight ends with 110 catches and remains Tony Romo's favorite target.

57. Dez Bryant, WR, Dallas Cowboys: He had 92 catches and 12 touchdown receptions, emerging as a star in the making. It's scary how good he can be.

62. Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys: Bash him all you want, but he deserves to be here. He carried the Cowboys last year and almost got them into the playoffs. He was third in yards passing and had 28 touchdown passes.

 

[Super_Kazuya]

Strange that Rodgers is #1, and he's not even the best QB in the league. Even the column writer said he gave his MVP vote to Manning. Maybe it's taking into account age, but the "who would you start your team with" list is entirely different than who is the best. I doubt Ware would be that high on any list factoring in age.

 

[Nation]

Strange that Rodgers is #1, and he's not even the best QB in the league. Even the column writer said he gave his MVP vote to Manning. Maybe it's taking into account age, but the "who would you start your team with" list is entirely different than who is the best. I doubt Ware would be that high on any list factoring in age.

He called Rodgers the best player in the league, which is why he's his #1. Best player and MVP can be considered two different things.

 

[Idgit]

Cool that he gave Geno Atkins some props. He deserves them.

Among the Cowboys players, I'd have moved Ware down farther, and I wouldn't have had Dez 8th on a list of WRs after the second half of last season.

Aaron Rodgers would be my top QB, too.

 

[DFWJC]

He called Rodgers the best player in the league, which is why he's his #1. Best player and MVP can be considered two different things.

This.....

 

[Super_Kazuya]

He called Rodgers the best player in the league, which is why he's his #1. Best player and MVP can be considered two different things.

Sometimes, but I fail to see how in this case. They both play the same position, had similar numbers, and their teams both made the playoffs. All of the factors that you could use to indicate he's more valuable but not better (the generic "he made his team better" stuff could easily be used to indicate that he's just flat better (which he is).

Mot to over-emphasize the MVP, but Rodgers didn't get a single MVP vote from anyone. He certainly didn't outperform Manning in any way on the field and most advanced analysis had Manning on top. Seems kinda strange for the supposed "best player".

 

[Questfor6]

Spencer should be on that list IMO. How can you grade out as the best 3-4 OLB in 2012 and not make that list?

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

the fact that no one from our team that made the list plays on the OL or DL says it all!

 

[Idgit]

the fact that no one from our team that made the list plays on the OL or DL says it all!

Ware plays DL.

 

[Bowdown27]

you know what's awful. I think tony romo won't even be on the nfl network top 100. 14 qbs made the list. 4 rookies made it. which is kapernick (confirmed) wilson rg3 and luck. so the ten would be stafford (already) confirmed. matt ryan flacco rodgers peyton eli brees big ben brady and cam newton.

Unbelievable the hate for tony.

 

[Pessimist_cowboy]

Adrian peterson is the best player in the game

 

[TNCowboy]

Reasonable list.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Ware plays DL.

Prisco rated him as the top OLB, tho. We'll see how he's rated after he plays a season as a DL.

 

[Future]

Spencer should be on that list IMO. How can you grade out as the best 3-4 OLB in 2012 and not make that list?

Agreed. Sack totals are probably what killed him.

 

[perrykemp]

Sometimes, but I fail to see how in this case. They both play the same position, had similar numbers, and their teams both made the playoffs. All of the factors that you could use to indicate he's more valuable but not better (the generic "he made his team better" stuff could easily be used to indicate that he's just flat better (which he is).

Mot to over-emphasize the MVP, but Rodgers didn't get a single MVP vote from anyone. He certainly didn't outperform Manning in any way on the field and most advanced analysis had Manning on top. Seems kinda strange for the supposed "best player".

Rodgers did outperform Manning on the field -- Rodgers threw for 2 more TDs and 3 less interceptions and had a higher QB rating. Rodgers also had 20 1st downs rushing the ball and 2 rushing TDs. Manning had only 6 yards rushing all season.

If look at their last two seasons (skipping the season where Manning sat out) that disparity becomes ever larger:

Rodgers: 84 TDs, 14 Interceptions while being sacked 89 times
Manning: 70 TDs, 29 Interceptions while being sacked 37 times

In a nutshell, Rodgers has thrown more TDs than Manning while throwing less than half the interceptions -- all while being under major duress -- he is the most sacked QB in the NFL over the past 4 seasons.

 

[pancakeman]

Do all those ILBs deserve to be on that list instead of the Cowboys'?

 

[perrykemp]

Spencer should be on that list IMO. How can you grade out as the best 3-4 OLB in 2012 and not make that list?

I wholeheartedly agree. He had a more impactful season that Ware and Clay Matthews IMHO. I'm not saying he is better than those guys but he played lights out last season.

 

[DFWJC]

Do all those ILBs deserve to be on that list instead of the Cowboys'?

That was from last year. Our best ILBs missed nearly half the season.

 

[Super_Kazuya]

Just look at their last two seasons (skipping the season where Manning sat out) of stats and it will become obvious to you:

Rodgers: 84 TDs, 14 Interceptions while being sacked 89 times
Manning: 70 TDs, 29 Interceptions while being sacked 37 times

In a nutshell, Rodgers has thrown more TDs than Manning while throwing les s than half the interceptions -- all while being under continuous duress -- he is the most sacked QB in the NFL over the past 4 seasons.

Rodgers doesn't have the best (or the worst) line, but make no mistake, he TAKES sacks. He holds the ball forever and being the stat padder he is, a sack is not a bad play for him. Sacks keep your completion percentage high and interceptions low, but they are negative plays and his sack totals border on ridiculous.

Interceptions and touchdowns are meaningless stats without context. They were almost identical in the flawed QB rating measure, but when you take a look at QBR, which measures a lot more than just TDs and INTs, Manning easily outdistanced Rodgers in 2012. And before you say QBR is biased, Rodgers led the NFL in QBR in 2011, so it's not like it doesn't recognize his game. But with both on the field in 2013, it was Manning who was on top. Rodgers is the best at stats, Manning is the best at QBing. Always been that way.

 

[pancakeman]

That was from last year. Our best ILBs missed nearly half the season.

From the article:

But this list isn't one that grades the players just on how they played last year, or their popularity, but on where they rank heading into 2013.